There were questions, throughout my interview, that sparked responses that strongly expressed how the participants’ students seem to sustain their attention longer during language arts lessons when music is infused versus when music is not infused as a part of the lesson structure. Teaching challenging and rigorous lessons were also easier for the participants because the students were more focused. Overall, the participants felt that their music infused lessons made learning a more memorable experience for their students.
Participant Z said, “They [students] were always less engaged. Participant X replied, “My students look forward to the music entities. And when it’s not there, I quickly notice how they become restless and distant.” Participant Y said, “Some of my students are more rambunctious. The music makes them talk a lot less. They don’t focus as fast. I needed music today! (laugh)” Participant A also stated, “Well, what I observed is that the students simply prepared their notebooks with a heading anticipating a note- taking session. No real focus was on understanding the skill or strategy being presented.”
In relationship with the new Common Core State Standards (2010), in the focus group discussion, participants agreed that music infusion aligns with the academic rigor prescribed in the new standards. Participant Z explained, “Absolutely! Because when you work in some of the content areas it deals with multi-learning styles and that’s how the student is able to learn.” Participant Y had a similar response as Participant Z saying,
Yes! They could be because it touches on different learning styles. It hits the learning senses and the students that have difficulties staying in touch with the
lesson or in tune with the lesson the music beats help them to understand. It jars something in them.
Participant A replied,
Rigor presents challenges! That’s trying to get the students to take their
knowledge to the next level. Therefore, including music into the lessons provides students with the opportunity to enjoy them [the lessons], BUT also question themselves about things they don’t understand. They will do the research to find out what it means because they want to make sure they are singing the song with the correct words. The research could be something as simple as asking a friend / classmate. That is rigor. They are inquiring the unknown on their own.
Additionally, songs are remembered much longer than notes taken in a notebook. Music focuses their attention and by teaching a skill through music, students will have songs internally stored and can retrieve them whenever it is needed to complete an assignment in the future.
These responses all connected to the theory posed by Catterall (2002). The theory suggested a “transfer of learning” explaining that, “Transfer denotes instances where learning in one context assists learning in a different context” (p.151). One example of this I was able to observe during the classroom observation of Participant A. Participant A’s lesson focused on the skill of identifying main idea and supportive details in a text. The lesson was introduced through the use of the video CD entitled Flocabulary (2014) with a song focused on main idea. Students enthusiastically joined in singing the chorus. The chorus lyrics were, “Listen up, lend me an ear. The hot new thing is the main idea.
Supported by the details to keep it all clear; the main ideas’ the reason that we’re all here. Yeah, come on!”
After the video played, Participant A continued the lesson with a discussion about a class trip they had taken earlier that day. After about 20 minutes, the students were then given a task to work with a partner to write down what the student felt was the main idea of the trip and to write relevant details that would support that main idea. The students then worked for 20 minutes on that task and then each partnership was allowed to share their work. There was no point during the observation that Participant A had to direct students to stay on task or to focus on their assignment. Having the ability to capture and sustain the attention of their students was a commonality I observed throughout each participant’s classroom observation. Participant A explained,
When I play the music as a part of my lessons, I find that I very rarely find myself having to keep students on task. They just seem to do it! That’s why I always use it (music).” Students keep their focus and get the work done. Mission
accomplished!
Throughout the focus group discussion, the participants continued to express their passion for using music-infusion to teach language arts. The participants responded, “For it!” when asked their feelings if it became mandatory for teachers to implement music- infusion as a part of their language arts lesson development. The participants said, “It would keep the fun in learning and make learning more memorable.” Participant Y capsulized the collective responses of the participants.
It would change the way we [teachers] teach so that it’s not boring! That is why other communities are killing us in scores. It’s not what they are teaching, but it’s the way they teach. Like you said [participants] it keeps the fun and that’s what we are missing. We have to have fun. That’s why I sing, I dance, and I clap. This is who I am. I need it for myself and to help motivate my class. They enjoy it and the kids come to school wanting to learn.